Flag tab receptacle terminal



Nov. 15, 1966 R. F. BLAKEsLr-:Y 3,286,221

FLAG TAB RECEPTACLE TERMINAL Filed June 17, 1964 /lunllll "Imm INVENTOIQ QOLAND F. BLAKESLEY United l FLAG TAB RECEPTACLE TERMINAL Roland F. Blakesley, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., assignor to Essex Wire Corporation, Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Michigan Filed June 17, 1964, Ser. No. 375,902 6 Claims. (Cl. 339-223) This invention relates to 'a flag-type terminal having means to mechanically and electrically connect one end of the terminal to an insulated conductor, and which has a tab receptacle at its other end to receive :a spade tab extending at right angles to the conductor.

IOne object of the invention `is to provide a flag tab receptacle terminal of simple construction in which a unember of sheet metal or the like is'formed .as by stamping or cold forging with "a T-shaped base having fenrule-ffonming ears at Ione end of the leg of the T and spacedapart tab receiving anges along the top and bottom ofthe arms of the T.

Another object is to `provide tab receptacle flanges suitable for forming from a T-shaped Ibase, one flange along the top of the arms, being continuous throughout the length thereof, and a pair of flanges along the bott-om of the arms interrupted by the connection of the leg of the Tshaped base to the arms thereof.

A .turther object is -to provide tab receptacle llanges which are C-shaped in cross "section for resilient engagement with a spade tab when inserted therein. l

Still a tui-.ther object is to provide means to reinforce the pair of flanges by providing the same with reinforcing r-ibs therearo'und. v

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and' combination of the various parts of my ag tab receptacle terminal whereby the objects above contemplated are atta-ined as hereinafter more tully set north, pointed out in my claims and illustrated `in detail on `the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation on lan enlarged scale showing a ag tab receptacle terminal embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan View thereof;

FIG. 3 is also a plan view thereof and shows an insulated conductor and .a spade tab assocate-d with the terminal;

FIGS. 4 and `5 are sectional views on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of FIG. 2; `and FIGS. 6 and 7 are sectional views on the lines 6 6 and 7-7, respectively, of FIG. 3.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the referrence numeral 10 to indicate a T-vshaped base for-med of sheet metal or the like which, `as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, 'has a vertical leg and horizontal arms. Adjacent the lower end of the leg a pair of insulation-engaging ears 12 and a pair off conductor-engaging ears 14 are provided.

The arms of the T-shaped hase 10 are provided with tab receptacle, channel-'forming anges 116, 18 and 20, the flange 16 being continuous along the top of the arms and the anges 18 `and 20 being discontinuous along the bottom of the arms. The llanges 18 and 20 are interrupted by the leg of the T-shaped base.

An insulated conductor is illust-rated in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7 in association with my llag tab receptacle terminal, and comprises a conduct-or 22 and an insulating sheath 24 therefor. The conductor 22 is mechanically and electricallly connected with the terminal by crimping the ears 14 thereagainst as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 while the insulated conductor is mechanically connected with the ter- 3,286,221 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 ice A terminal of the character disclosed is particularly' useful where space at the end of the tab is limited. The actual terminal is approximately one-forth .the size sho-wn in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, and the total length of the arms of the T-shaped base is approximately one-third inch. A relatively short tab 26 can, accordingly, be associated with respect to the tab receptacle end of the terminal as shown in FIG. 3.

To provide a terminal of the type shown involves certain problems with respect to the tab receptacle llanges 16, 18 and 20. While aan adequate length for the ange 16 may be 'had extending the tull length of the arms of the '1T-shaped base, the ilanges 18 and 20 must be interrupted bythe leg of the base. Accordingly, to reinforce the relatively short flanges 18 and 20, I provide them with reinforcing beads 28 extending therearound as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5.

'Ilhe comparatively narrow leg of the T-s'haped base may also .be bead-reinforced as shown at 30 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.

In order to provide suicient resiliency for good electrical contact between the terminal edges of the channelforming flanges 16, 118 and 20 and the spade tab 26, all three ilanges are C-shaped as illustrated in FIG. 1.

From the foregoing specilication it will be obvious lthat I have provided a terminal of nag-type suitablle for connecting an insulated conductor at right angles relative to Ia spade tab or the llike when all parts are formed integral from a T-shaped piece of sheet metal as illustrated. A novel tab receptacle ange arrangement is disclosed which is suitablle 'for iforming the tab receptacle at one end of the base by means 'of tab receptacle ilanges .provided along the sides of the arms of the T.

Some changes may be |m-ade in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my flag tab receptacle terminal without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by rny claims any modi-lied for-ms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may reasonably he included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a flag tab receptacle terminal, a hase, two pair of female-'forming ears adjacent one end of said base, one pair of said ears being adapted to rform a ferrule around an .insulated conductor and the other pair of said ears being adapted to form a -fernule around the conduct-or of said insulated conductor, a 'tab receptacle at the other end of said base, said tao receptacle comprising a channel-forming ange along said other end of said base and a pair of opposed channel-forming llanges separated by a portion Iof said base extending from said pairs of ears to said tab receptacle.

2. A flag tab receptacle terminal in accordance with claim 1 wherein said channel-forrning flanges are C-shaped in cross section for resilient engagement od? their terminal edges with a spade tab inserted therein.

3. A flag tab receptacle terminal in accordance with claim 2 wherein `said opposite channeldfolrming flanges have reinorcing ribs extending there-around.

4. In a Hag tab receptacle terminal of the character disclosed, a T-sfhaped base, ferrule-forming means on the leg of the T to mechanically `connect said base with an insulated conductor and to mechanically and electrically connect said base with the conductor of such insulated conductor, and means on the arms of .the T for friction-ally receiving a spade tab comprising a rst'anlge along the J bottom of the arms exclusive of the connecting portion of the arms to the leg.

S. A aig tab recepatcle terminal according to claim 4 wherein said .pair of opposite channelflfornnganges have reinforcing mbs extending therearound. n

6. A iliag tab receptacle terminal according to claim 4 wherein said HangesfiO-rm opposite facing `channels to receive the side edges of the spade tab.

References Cited by the Applicana UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

-P. A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A FLAG TAB RECEPTACLE TERMINAL, A BASE, TWO PAIR OF FERRULE-FORMING EARS ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID BASE, ONE PAIR OF SAID EARS BEING ADAPTED TO FORM A FERRULE AROUND AN INSULATED CONDUCTOR AND THE OTHER PAIR OF SAID EARS BEING ADAPTED TO FORM A FERRULE AROUND THE CONDUCTOR OF SAID INSULATED CONDUCTOR, A TAB RECEPTACLE AT THE OTHER END OF SAID BASE, SAID TAB RECEPTACLE COMPRISING A CHANNEL-FORMING FLANGE ALONG SAID OTHER END OF SAID BASE AND A PAIR OF OPPOSED CHANNEL-FORMING FLANGES SEPARATED BY A PORTION OF SAID BASE EXTENDING FROM SAID PAIRS OF EARS TO SAID TAB RECEPTACLE. 